Generally, as is well known in the art or technique of shelf drilling for gas and/or oil, riser lines are employed with such riser lines being usually comprised of a plurality of sections or lengths of generally rigid pipe interconnected in end-to-end relationship. Also as is generally well known, such riser lines are usually subjected to great stresses and loads occassioned as by bending moments or force couples applied thereto.
Accordingly, the prior art has, heretofore, attempted to provide articulated connections instead of rigid joints as between succeeding pipe sections forming the riser line in order to achieve a reduction in the bending moments otherwise experienced by such a riser line. Specifically, heretofore, the prior art has suggested the use of ball and socket type joints or rubber (or rubber-like) rings for such articulated connections. Such prior art devices have not been found to be satisfactory. For example, among other problems, ball and socket joints exhibit a significant degree of friction which, in turn, causes abrupt stresses to occur often resulting in damage to the related pipe and overall riser line. Even though the use of prior art intermediate members consisting of rubber (or similar material) rings has the advantage of exhibiting only a comparatively slight degree of friction, such prior art rubber ring members are not capable of carrying loads of a magnitude sufficiently great to make such prior art rubber rings totally satisfactory.
Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and claimed is primarily directed to the solution of the foregoing and other attendant or related problems.